Mentorship appointments are now available from mid-May to mid-July 2024. Scroll down for the schedule, registration info and frequently asked questions.
To view availability and sign up for an appointment, please click here. All appointments are in Eastern time. Remember to sign up for only ONE slot so that we can make this program available to as many people as possible.
Please check back in June for appointments from July to September.If you have other questions, please contact [email protected].
Neema Avashia was born and raised in southern West Virginia. Her first book, Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place, was named Best LGBTQ Memoir of 2022 by BookRiot, was one of the New York Public Library’s Best Books of 2022, and was a finalist for the New England Book Award, the Weatherford Award, and a Lambda Literary Award.
Interests and expertise: Personal essay, book-length memoir; creative non-fiction, personal essays, micro-memoirs, writing that centers intersectionality, writing about place, identity, and belonging
Appointments:
- Saturday June 8, 12:00-1:30 PM ET (Zoom)
- Saturday June 15, 12:00-2:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Jeshuaven Castillo is a Dominican-American writer and director from Richfield, Minnesota. After earning his master’s degree in screenwriting from Boston University, he went on to pursue a career in teaching the craft, while keeping up with his own stories. Jeshuaven hopes to inspire young writers to tell their stories as well.
Interests and expertise: Screenwriting, Short or flash fiction, romance, horror, sci-fi, mystery, thriller, drrama
Appointments:
- Saturday June 1, 1:00-2:00 PM ET (Zoom)
- Saturday June 22, 1:00-2:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Jennifer Crystal runs GrubStreet’s Writing to Heal Program and holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College and a B.A. from Middlebury College. She is the author of Et Voilà: One Traveler's Journey from Foreigner to Francophile. Her second memoir, One Tick Stopped the Clock, is forthcoming in September 2024.
Interests and expertise: Personal essay, book-length memoir; creative non-fiction, writing to heal/narrative medicine, travel writing, memoir, personal essays, and op-eds
Appointments:
- Monday June 3, 5:30-6:30 PM ET (Zoom)
- Wednesday June 26, 12:00-1:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Kayla Degala-Paraiso (she/they) is a Los Angeles-based Filipinx-American experimental writer. Her work has appeared in miniskirt magazine, PANK Magazine, Okay Donkey, and elsewhere, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. She teaches creative writing at GrubStreet and independently. More at kdegalaparaiso.com.
Interests and expertise: Long-form fiction and novels, Short or flash fiction, Personal Essay, Book-length Memoir, Poetry Speculative fiction (magical realism, sci-fi, fantasy, dystopian); short and flash stories; memoir; creative nonfiction; nature writing; LGBTQ+ stories; immigrant stories; culture writing; hybrid/experimental writing; spliced essays; prose poetry; lyrical essays/writing; writing a collection; writing for self-care/healing; mental health; writing the disabled body; social justice/political/activist writing; multiperspectivity; relationships; family stories
Appointments:
- Thursday July 11, 5:00-7:00 PM ET (Zoom)
- Thursday July 18, 5:00-7:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Ethan Gilsdorf is the author of Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Esquire, Wired, Salon, O the Oprah Magazine, Brevity, Electric Literature, Poetry and The Southern Review, and named "Notable" in The Best American Essays. At GrubStreet, he leads the Essay Incubator program and teaches classes in essay, creative nonfiction and memoir. More info: ethangilsdorf.com.
Interests and expertise: Personal Essay, Literary Journalism, Book-length Memoir, Publishing; Personal narrative of all kinds, relationships, health narratives, but really anything; I can also offer writing accountability/process/writing life advice and coaching
Appointments:
- Thursday May 16, 4:00-5:00 PM ET (Zoom or in-person at the Seaport)
- Tuesday May 28, 1:00-2:30 PM ET (Zoom or in-person at the Seaport)
Hanna Halperin is the author of two novels, Something Wild and I Could Live Here Forever. Something Wild won the 2021 Edward Lewis Wallant Award and was a finalist for the 2021 National Jewish Book Award for Debut Fiction. Her stories have been published in The Kenyon Review, n+1, New Ohio Review, and Joyland.
Interests and expertise: Long-form fiction and novels, Short or flash fiction, Publishing literary fiction, realistic fiction, questions regarding mfa program applications, and/or publication process
Appointments:
- Thursday June 27, 5:00-7:00 PM ET (Zoom)
- Saturday July 13, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Silk Jazmyne is a writer of speculative fiction, book reviewer and essayist. Her work has appeared both online and in print at Black Girl Nerds, Straylight Magazine, The Gateway Review, Serendipity Literary Magazine, Midnight & Indigo, African Writer Magazine, Ekphrastic Exhibition in Tandem: Back | Forth. She holds a MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Tampa.
Interests and expertise: Short or flash fiction, Promotion/Marketing; Afrofuturism, science fiction, fantasy, magical realism, connections between culture and speculative fiction, sensitivity reading and considerations
Appointments:
- Friday May 17, 12:00-1:30 PM ET (Zoom)
- Friday May 24, 2:30-4:00 PM ET (Zoom)
- Friday May 31, 2:30-4:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Heather Nelson is a local teacher and poet with years of experience mentoring writers of all ages and experience levels with their work. She is especially interested in constructive feedback, finding your own writing voice, developing a writing community and getting your work out into the world through readings and publication.
Interests and expertise: Poetry
Appointments:
Wednesday June 5, 12:00-2:00 PM ET (Zoom or in-person at the Seaport)
Clara Silverstein is the author of an historical novel, a memoir, and four non-fiction books. Her poems and essays have appeared in The Boston Globe, Blackbird, Chautauqua, and at Boston City Hall. She has directed the Chautauqua Writers’ Center, taught at GrubStreet, and led programs at a history museum.
Interests and expertise: Book-length Memoir, Personal Essay, Poetry, Long-form fiction and novels; writing about difficult families; social justice issues; research, especially about history; historical fiction; poetry as memoir
Appointments:
- Wednesday May 22, 11:30-1:00 PM ET (Zoom or in-person at the Seaport)
- Tuesday June 11, 4:30-6:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Javier Sinay is an author and journalist. His books include The Murders of Moises Ville (Restless Books, 2022; nominated for Book of the Year, 2023 CrimeCon C.L.U.E. Awards and chosen as one of the best books of the year by CrimeReads.com).
Interests and expertise: Personal Essay, Book-length Memoir, Literary Journalism "--Crónica (Latin American Literary or Narrative Journalism mixed with Essay and eventually Memoir); Literary or Narrative Journalism; Essay; Personal Essay; Memoir; Travelogue & Travel Writing; Latinx Nonfiction Literature; Nonfiction Literature; Flash nonfiction; Journalism; Journaling; the Art of Doing Interviews; the Art of Editing nonfiction; True Crime; Blurred memories at Memoir; how to write nonfiction using a thrilling First Person; the Beginning: How to open your nonfiction piece with attitude; Latin American Political: Non Fiction Writing From a Turbulent Region
Appointments:
- Tuesday June 18, 6:00-7:30 PM ET (Zoom)
- Tuesday June 25, 6:00-7:30 PM ET (Zoom)
Milo Todd (he/him) manages The Queer Writer newsletter, is the Managing Editor of Fiction for Foglifter Journal, and instructs the nine-month Novel Immersive for LGBTQ+ Writers. His debut novel of queer historical fiction, The Lilac People, will publish with Counterpoint in Spring/Summer 2025.
Interests and expertise: Long-form fiction and novels, Short or flash fiction, Publishing, Promotion/Marketing, Young Adult Literature ; LGBTQ+ fiction
Appointments:
- Thursday May 23, 5:30-7:00 PM ET (Zoom)
- Monday July 1, 5:00-7:00 PM ET (Zoom)
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost for a Mentorship appointment?
Thanks to our generous donors, Mentorship appointments are free to students. We also hope to grow this program in the future. As we are compensating mentors for their time, it’s important that students turn up for their appointments. If you can’t make it for an appointment after signing up, please email [email protected] so that we can release the appointment and someone else can use the time.
Where will Mentorship appointments be held?
Mentorship appointments take place either in person at the Seaport or remotely on Zoom. You will receive a reminder email 3 to 5 days before your appointment.
If you have an in-person appointment, it will contain details about the classroom location and parking or transport reimbursement. If you have a Zoom appointment, you will receive two emails: the reminder email, and an email with the Zoom link 15 minutes before the appointment begins.
What’s the best way to use these appointments?
We suggest that students prepare a list of questions in advance. It’s best to keep your questions focused and specific, like: “I am having X challenge with my plot/protagonist and have tried these things without breaking through. Do you have suggestions for how I can try to resolve this?”
Students will also have the opportunity to submit questions in advance to help their mentor prepare. This is optional during the registration process but highly recommended, as it can make the meeting even more productive.
Please note that the 30-minute appointments are actually 25 minutes; the last 5 minutes are to allow time to transition from one appointment to another.
Can I use my appointment time to get on-the-spot feedback on manuscript pages?
If you choose to use your time for this, sure! However, given that the appointment is for 25 minutes, it may be challenging to get meaningful feedback within this structure. The mentor is not being compensated for any outside work before or after these appointments, and we don’t expect or require them to complete any projects outside of the appointment times.
You might want to consider another program that might be better suited for manuscript reviews. Consider a Muse & the Marketplace Manuscript Mart appointment where you submit work ahead of time for feedback on several pages. Scholarships are available! There are other manuscript consultation programs available at GrubStreet as well.
How many appointments can I sign up for?
Please sign up for only ONE appointment. If you would like a second appointment, please check the schedule one week before that particular appointment. If it is still available then, you may register for it.
What if I miss my appointment or arrive late?
If you know you can’t make your appointment, please email [email protected] and let us know. We will release the appointment and another person can use the time. Last-minute cancellations or no-shows cannot be rescheduled. If an unexpected emergency arises, we’ll do our best to reschedule, though we can’t make guarantees.
If unfortunately, you miss your appointment, remember that more Mentorship appointments will be offered later this year, and you can sign up again.
What if I have a suggestion or feedback about my appointment or the Mentorship program?
Everyone will receive a survey within a week of their appointment. If you would like to submit feedback outside of a survey, please write to [email protected].